Apparatus for concentrating laboratory specimens by evaporation

ABSTRACT

Apparatus is disclosed for concentrating chemical and biological specimens which are present in dilute solutions in solvent liquids. By means of a pressure differential and air jet nozzles, the vapor layer which normally appears above the specimens is continuously dispelled. The evaporating areas are maintained under sub-atmospheric pressure both to augment the evaporation process and induce a jet stream of air which impinges on the specimen surface. The specimen containers are heated from a controlled source, such as a thermostatically controlled heat sink.

United States Patent 1191 Kopp et al. Nov. 12, 1974 1 APPARATUS FORCONCENTRATING 2.803.888 8/1957 Cerletti 159 010. 11 LABORATORY SPECIMENSBY EVAPORATION 2:771:645 11 1956 -Martin 34/105 l [75] Inventors 'jggfi'g' 32553 122 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS of 451,686 10/1948 Canadal59/DlG. 11

[73] Asslgneez i g Primary Examiner-Norman Yudkoff AssistantExaminer-Frank Sever [22] Filed: May 1, 1972 Attorney, Agent, orFirmEisenman, Allsopp & 121 Appl. No; 248,820 Stmck 57 ABSTRA T [52] US.Cl. 159/16 R, 23/274, 23/292 1 C [51] Int. Cl B0ld l/l4 App f isdlsclosed Concentrating and [58] Fi ld f S h 159/16 R D16 1 11 16;biological specimens which are present in dtlutc solu- 34/104 105 tionsin solvent liquids, By means of a pressure differential and air jetnozzles, the vapor layer which nor [56] R f n Ci d mally appears abovethe specimens is continuously UNITED STATES PATENTS dispelled. Theevaporating areas are maintained under 5 sub-atmospheric pressure bothto augment the evapo- 2,33; 5 159/16 R ration process and induce a jetstream of air which img' 9/1973 32 B; pinges on the specimen surface.The specimen con- 217T684 7/1879 Elmerw: tainers are heated from acontrolled source, such as a 20 7 2 3/1378 E m thermostaticallycontrolled heat sink. 937,l 14 10/1909 Suzuki 3,084,537 4/1963 Shipstead159 16 3 3 D'awmg 1 2 APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING DESCRIPTION OF THEPREFERRED LABORATORY SPECIMENS BY EVAPORATION EMBODIMENT BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION The invention 18 illustrated as embodied in a speci- 5men-evaporating apparatus including a housing assem- The invention isconcerned with apparatus for conbly 10 for holding a plurality ofspecimens to be evapocentrating chemical and biological specimens whichrated and connected to a vacuum pump 11, preferab) occur in a highlydiluted or attenuated form in an through a fume condenser 12. Th hevaporatable medium. mg mbly as best seen In FIG. 2, includes a ba {mu-mu Conventionally, laboratory specimens are COIIC'fl- 1' foffi morevolatllfi liquids or H 12mmlgmumhwmSmmmm\m% 0 a l I i m 2x3115322 L mlwill if lffilfil'fil I 10 ex aust to h 1S sphere m order to prevent theaccumulation f t hiatus l5 and led by titer. m the laboratory. It isalso known in; 0 vd rs I llS ltmpmm atmospheric pressure in the chamber27 and with the vapor layer being continuously dispelled, an acceleratedevaporation rate occurs without the necessity of resorting to higherevaporating temperatures which Referring to FIG. 3, there is illustrateda modification,

of the invention in which the cover assembly 24' includes nozzle tubes33 (which can correspond in num-. bet to the number of rows of specimenvials) supported by the end walls of the cover assembly 24. The nozzletubes 33are vented at their ends to the atmosphere and include atequally spaced points along their lengths radial bores 34-l, 34-2 34-36directed downwardly to the respective" specimen holders. in thismodification, the entire inside chamber 35 of the cover assembly definesthe exhaust manifold and the spaces within the nozzle tubes 33 definethe intake manifold. With the chamber 35 placed under sub-atmosphericpressure, the system functions identically with that described abovehaving reference to FIG. 2.

While the invention has been described having reference to the preferredembodiments thereof, it will be understood that it can take variousother forms and arrangements within the scope of the invention. lltshould not, therefore, be. regarded as limited except as defined in thefollowing claims We claim: I

' 1. Apparatus for concentrating laboratory specimens byevaporationcomprising a base receptacle for a plurality of specimen vessels andincluding a heat sink having a plurality of individual chambers adaptedto have seated therein open vessels containing laboratory specimens, aheat source for the-heat sink including means to regulate thetemperature thereof, a detachable cover assembly adapted to be seated insubstantially air-tight relationship on the base over the chambers, saidcover assembly comprising depending side walls including opposing endportions to engage the base in air-tight relationship, at least onerigid horizontal tube member carried by and joined to the opposing sidewalls and open to the atmosphere through at least one sidewall, the tubemember passing horizontally over a plurality of said chambers in closeproximity thereto and carrying a plurality of downwardly directed airorifices aligned respectively with the plurality of chambers below, andmeans to establish sub-atmospheric pressure in the closed, space wherebyair is drawn into the tube member and discharged downwardly in aplurality of jet streams into the respective vessels disposed in the byevaporation comprising a base for receiving a plurality of specimenvessels, a heat source for the vessels including meansto regulate thetemperature thereof, a detachable cover assembly adapted to be seated insubstantially air-tight relationship on the base over the vessels, saidcover assembly comprising depending side walls to engage the base and asubstantially flat, horizontallydisposed top surface, manifold meanscarried by the side wallsbetween the top surface and the cham-

1. Apparatus for concentrating laboratory specimens by evaporationcomprising a base receptacle for a plurality of specimen vessels andincluding a heat sink having a plurality of individual chambers adaptedto have seated therein open vessels containing laboratory specimens, aheat source for the heat sink including means to regulate thetemperature thereof, a detachable cover assembly adapted to be seated insubstantially air-tight relationship on the base over the chambers, saidcover assembly comprising depending side walls including opposing endportions to engage the base in air-tight relationship, at least onerigid horizontal tube member carried by and joined to the opposing sidewalls and open to the atmosphere through at least one side wall, thetube member passing horizontally over a plurality of said chambers inclose proximity thereto and carrying a plurality of downwardly directedair orifices aligned respectively with the plurality of chambers below,and means to establish subatmospheric pressure in the closed spacewhereby air is drawn into the tube member and discharged downwardly in aplurality of jet streams into the respective vessels disposed in thechambers.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including a common rackfor supporting said plurality of specimen vessels in positions invertical alignment with the respective chambers in the heat sink, saidrack having downwardly extending legs to carry the respective specimenvessels above a supporting surface, and means forming guide slots in thereceptacle to receive the legs and to cause the respective vessels to belowered into their corresponding chambers.
 3. Apparatus forconcentrating laboratory specimens by evaporation comprising a base forreceiving a plurality of specimen vessels, a heat source for the vesselsincluding means to regulate the temperature thereof, a detachable coverassembly adapted to be seated in substantially air-tight relationship onthe base over the vessels, said cover assembly comprising depending sidewalls to engage the base and a substantially flat, horizontally disposedtop surface, manifold means carried by the side walls between the topsurface and the chambers and defining an air conduit both to theunderside of the top surface and to the respective vessels below, theair path to the chambers including a plurality of downwardly directedopenings defining air nozzles above The respective chambers, inlet meansconnecting the manifold to the atmosphere, and means to establishsub-atmospheric pressure in the closed space whereby air is drawn intothe conduit and caused to impinge both on the underside of the topsurface and downwardly in a plurality of jet streams directed into therespective vessels.